The famous map of the kingdom of Prester John in Abyssinia

The famous map of the Kingdom of Prester John in central Africa, designed by Ortelius himself and published in his atlas, the 'Theatrum Orbis Terrarum'. John was a mythical Christian king supposedly descended from David and regarded as an important defence against the barbarians. Originally believing him to be somewhere in the Middle East Pope Alexander III sent John a letter to beg help against the Mongols (1177), but his messenger never returned. As Polo and other travellers opened the East without finding him, Prester John's kingdom retreated into the unknown. Although Waldseemüller's maps of 1507 places him in India, Fries moved him to Africa in 1522. Ortelius followed Fries, and dedicated his map of central Africa to John's son David!